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Best-looking train in the UK?

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70014IronDuke

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Buggleskelly said:
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For locos I'd say LMS Coronation Class (Streamlined) and LNER Class A4
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Interesting: I think the Coronation unstreamlined are awfully impressive, there was nothing like standing on the track next to a shiny maroon Duchess, but somehow the streamlining doesn't really work for me. (Of course, I never saw one 'in the flesh'.)

I suspect that the problem was Stanier did not design it that way originally, it was a PR decision, and it showed.

The A4 was something else,however. To be standing next to the GN main line and hear the chime whistle, then someone shout "streak!" to be followed by this man-made steam phenomenon approach at 80 mph with 10-12 coaches in tow - ooooh ... grace and power epitomised.

The A3s were also terribly handsome machines. Gresley was one of those engineers who combined practical design with aesthetics terribly well.
 
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Journeyman

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class387 said:
1938 tube stock for me:

View attachment 45125
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This is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the best-designed trains ever. When they were first introduced, they were incredibly modern-looking, and set the standards for tube stock design for the next fifty years. I love the domed roof and vents at the front ends, and the original wooden/green/red interiors, with tungsten lighting, were wonderfully cosy and inviting.
 
THC

THC

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Great thread, well deserving of resuscitation!

Steam loco - nothing comes close to an A4 Pacific. A perfect marriage of form and function.
Diesel loco - a Deltic in two-tone green. Lovely.
DMU - Class 180. Looks good, moves fast. Mmm-hmm.
EMU - LU 'R' stock. Art Deco on rails. Beautiful.

THC
 
K

Ken H

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Deltics (rail blue)

Class 350

HST (original blue and grey livery)

Fugly - 317
 
Ladder23

Ladder23

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Not my favourite but 707’s I really like, but only due to the livery, as the 700’s I ain’t mad on.
 
N

Non Multi

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LOL The Irony said:
I find the front looks like a slipper or an Easter Island statue.
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I think it's a more streamlined 1990's interpretation of Kenneth Grange's HST. If a diesel-electric version was produced today I would expect SO MUCH JOY from this forum.
 
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Master29

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It can also depend on a particular livery too. To me the HST in it`s original livery. Modern would have to be the Eurostar 374 Velaro. I think the new Stadler 745`s look good in the Greater Anglia Livery. Very European looking.
 
Doomotron

Doomotron

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Class 375/6
Class 395
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Class 92
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Class 66 (in BR Green)
Class 57
Class 321 Renatus
 
Spartacus

Spartacus

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70014IronDuke said:
Interesting: I think the Coronation unstreamlined are awfully impressive, there was nothing like standing on the track next to a shiny maroon Duchess, but somehow the streamlining doesn't really work for me. (Of course, I never saw one 'in the flesh'.)
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You should see Hamilton in York, very impressive.

Personally my favourite looking steam loco is one I doubt I’ll ever see in anything other than photos or model form and that’s the rebuilt W1, it just seems to have worn the curves even better than an A4, which can sometimes look a tad hunched to me.
 
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bastien

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I always think the 50 looks much more handsome and purposeful than a 47, despite them being the same basic design. Kind of like a truck vs a van.
 
AJM580

AJM580

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Steam - Double chimney GWR Castles
Diesel - Deltics
M.U - Transpennine DMUs,

Really like the new Stadler bi-modes too
 
G

Grannyjoans

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My favourite looking trains are the 37's.

I've only been trainspotting since 1995 so can't vote for anything that was around earlier.
 
G

Grannyjoans

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Class 37's - especially the two tone grey 37s on freight in the 1990s!


Not forgetting Load Haul
 
centraltrains

centraltrains

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150/1
Lovely square "masculine" front shape, with a gentle curve at the roof showing it's soft side, yet the striking snowplough asserting it's dominance without the need for T-Posing #ProperTrain
 
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delt1c

delt1c

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double headed 26 on the Highland mainline, steam escaping between the coaches and the rasp of the Sulzers working hard, Wolf in sheeps clothing.
 
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Mitchell Hurd

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Kneedown said:
For me it's the HST and Class 8xx series.
Both great looking trains from different times.
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The HST and Class 80x train are actually my favourite trains sorry to go slightly off topic. The HST's are the best looking trains at Birmingham New Street in my opinion!
 
43074

43074

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I actually quite like the class 170s, which somehow manage to make even the Northern livery look reasonably good.
The 80x units look really sleek but it's a shame they've been let down by the interiors (as has been done to death here and elsewhere...)
HSTs are obviously up there as a design classic.
 
W

Welly

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centraltrains said:
150/1
Lovely square "masculine" front shape, with a genital curve at the roof showing it's soft side, yet the striking snowplough asserting it's dominance without the need for T-Posing #ProperTrain
Click to expand...
Wut? Take a cold shower, you! :lol:
 
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Richard Scott

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Think the most purposeful and, in my opinion, best looking train is the HST. Not my favourite train/loco but in original blue grey scheme just looked the business.
As for locos got to admit to having a soft spot for unrebuilt Bullieds, Coronations and Britannias. In the diesel world (ignoring the HST) has to be the 45s, just leviathan of a machine even though actually shorter than a 50 (another good looking loco, especially in large logo livery).
 
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